The Ranthambhore Bagh

Transcription

1 The Ranthambhore Bagh The Park The Ranthambhore National Park, which is a part of the much larger Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, lies in the Sawai Madhopur district of eastern Rajasthan. The Chambal River forms a natural boundary of the Park towards the east, and on the eastern shore of Chambal lies the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. To the northeast of the Park, flows the river Banas, a tributary of Chambal. Across the river Banas, lies the Keladevi sanctuary, while the Sawai Man Singh sanctuary lies to the south of the Park. Both these sanctuaries, like the National Park, are part of the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. Today, the reserve spans over 1334 sq. km of area, of which only 282 sq. km is the Ranthambhore National Park. All the safaris in the Reserve are conducted inside the National Park. Few visitors go to the Man Singh or Keladevi sanctuary. Till the mid 20th century, the National park was a private hunting ground for the Maharaja of Jaipur, but was nationalized soon after India gained independence. In 1972, when the Project Tiger was launched, Ranthambhore was one of the original 9 parks to be earmarked for tiger conservation, under the Project Tiger. Geologically, the region has elements of the Aravalli and Vindhya rock formations. As a result, the terrain is hilly, with wide valleys and plateaus. The park is open to tourists during October-June, and receives more than 50,000 visitors every year from all over the world.

2 How to get there? Sawai Madhopur lies on the Eastern edge of the North Indian state of Rajasthan. It is 440 kilometers to the South West of Delhi, the capital of India, and 190 kilometers South East of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Sawai Madhopur has good road connections with Delhi (8 hours journey via Jaipur Tonk - Uniara), Jaipur (3 hours drive via Tonk - Uniara), Agra (6 hours drive via Bharatpur Dausa - Lalsot) and Bharatpur (5 hours drive via Dausa - Lalsot). It also has a good road connection to Ajmer, Pushkar, Bundi, Kota, Jhansi and Orcha. The closest airport is in Jaipur, 170 kilometers away by road. The town has excellent rail connections with Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkotta, Nagpur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Udaipur. The town lies on the main Delhi Mumbai rail link and so, there are many trains a day to Mumbai and Delhi. Visitors from Delhi and Mumbai are advised to take a train, which is not only cheaper and faster but also much more comfortable. (For train details log on to Nearest Airport : Sanganer, Jaipur 170 km Nearest Railway Station : Sawai Madhopur 4 km Weather Sawai Madhopur, with its sub-tropical dry climate, has three very well defined seasons - summers, monsoons and winters. October and March are the time when the weather changes from monsoons to winters and from winters to summers, respectively. Summers: Summers start from the end of March and last through the months of April, May and June. During this season the days are very hot and dry. During May and June the maximum day temperature crosses 40 degrees and the minimum night temperature hovers around 30 degrees. During the day, hot and dry winds blow. These winds are locally known as loo. It is advisable to carry wide-brimmed hats, good coolers, and sunscreen; and take a lot of fluids regularly. Monsoons: The monsoons or the rainy season lasts from July to September, during which the park remains closed. This season is warm and humid, with one or two short thundershowers a week. Often there are long periods (10 to 15 days) with no rains. During such long breaks in the monsoon rains, the weather can get very hot and humid. Winters: The winter season lasts from November to February. The night temperature stays below 10 degrees, while the day temperature hovers around the 20-degree mark. There is often some rain and fog during the mid winters. It is very cold inside the park during winters. Since open topped vehicles are used for park drives, the wind chill adds to the cold. Visitors are strongly advised to carry a lot of warm clothing and protect themselves from the wind chill. Min. Temperature : 2 degree Centigrade Max Temperature : 48 degree Centigrade Avg. annual rainfall : 800 mm Avg. rainy days p.a. : 38 Rainy season : July to September Summer season : April to June Winter season : November to February Best time to visit The park is open to tourists from the 1st of October to the 30th of June. Most of the tourists visit the park between November and March, mainly because the summers heat is

3 unbearable. The period between November and February is excellent for wildlife viewing, when a lot of migratory birds visit the park and the animals are active throughout the day. During the summer months (April to June), when the peak daytime temperature soars over 40 degrees Centigrade, sighting tigers is relatively easier than it is in winters. March is a great compromise between summers and winters and excellent for wildlife viewing. What to carry During the cold season from November to February visitors are advised to carry enough warm clothing, jackets, gloves, mufflers etc. Due to the wind chill factor, it often gets very cold during the safaris and a thick wind proof jacket can be a welcome relief. During the summer months from March to June it is very hot and loose, cotton clothing is recommended. A wide brimmed hat is nice to have during summers. Sunscreens are a must in summers, when the sun is very strong. Mosquito repellents are required, particularly during October and March, even though Ranthambhore is not a malaria prone area. Binoculars can add a lot of value to ones wildlife viewing. Photographers are advised to carry all the equipment that they would require, as there is little that they can buy locally. Safaris Time There are two safaris a day from October to June, one in the morning and the second in the evening. Generally speaking, the morning safari starts half and hour after sunrise and the evening safari finishes half an hour before sunset. As a result the timings change slightly every 2 months or so. Each safari is for a duration of three and a half hours. Mode There are presently two modes of transport for safaris in Ranthambhore the 4 wheel drive jeeps called Gypsys (which seat up to 6 visitors)and 20 seater safari buses called Canters. A total of 40 vehicles, 20 Gypsys and 20 Canters, are allowed into the park at any one time. Safaris can be booked in advance and since the number of vehicles allowed inside the park are limited, it is recommended to do so. This is particularly true for Gypsys. All these vehicles are registered taxis and are attached to the Forest department though they are owned and run by local people. Vehicles that are not attached to the forest department are not permitted into the park. Zones Right now the tourism area of the park is divided into 5 different zones. At the time of booking, each vehicle is allotted a zone and they are they not allowed to stray from their allotted zone. Birding Ranthambhore has over 330 species of birds and we are still counting. A keen birder can easily net over 120 species in less than 3 days. Though the park is great for birding but the restrictions that are placed inside tiger reserves, may not appeal to the very serious birders. There are some great birding spots outside the park and here one can walk around, something that you cannot do inside the park. Some of the good birding spots are Surwal dam, Mansarovar lake, Man Singh sanctuary, Banas and Chambal river. Photography Ranthambhore with its varied and beautiful landscapes, excellent light and relatively easy tiger sightings is one of the best parks for photography in India. Best time for photography According to us the best time for taking pictures in

4 Ranthambhore is from November to February. Not only is the soft winter light excellent during these months but the animals, particularly tigers, are more active during the winter months. However, if you are planning to shoot only tigers, summers (April to June) may be a better time because tigers are more visible during the summers. March is a good compromise between the good light of winters and good tiger sightings of summers. Equipment There are no camera stores in Ranthambhore and photographers are strongly advised to carry all the equipment, film rolls, batteries etc with them. For the more serious photographers at least one telephoto lens of 300 mm or over is recommended. Carrying a beanbag or a monopod, both of which are more versatile than a tripod is highly recommended. Drivers and guides There are a few drivers and guides who have worked with excellent photographers and it is really important for photographers to get a right team. Good areas The good areas for photography are the area of the lakes, Lakkarda, Berda and Lahpur. However, it is advisable to get a local feedback from the park a few days before one start his trip. In case, you want a feed back on the tiger sightings, lighting condition and any other information that may help your photography, just drop us a mail. Camera fees There are no fees for still cameras in Ranthambhore but a fee of Rs 200 is charged per entry, for video cameras used by non-professionals. A good tip to your driver and guide would go a long way in making your photography trip more fruitful. Professional filming charges For professional film crews a fee of Rs 5000 per day per camera for foreigners and Rs 3000 for Indian film teams is charged. A lot of other permissions are also required. All these can be got from the office of Chief Wildlife Warden in Jaipur. Foreign crews need additional permissions from the Central Government, which is based in Delhi and have to initially apply in the Indian High Commission in their country. Sawai Madhopur Ranthambhore National Park lies in the Sawai Madhopur district of the North Indian state of Rajasthan. The park is contiguous with the Sawai Madhopur town, and Misradhara gate, from where tourists enter the Park, is about 12 km from the heart of the town. Ranthambhore is the only Project Tiger Reserve that is right next to a large town. The twin towns of Old City and Man town together constitute Sawai Madhopur. The railway station and the main market Bajariya are located in Man town. The older City lies 4 km away, in a valley surrounded by cliffs and steep slopes. Ranthambhore Road is a good smooth stretch from Man town to the Park. Almost all the hotels and lodges are located along this road. There is no tourist accommodation inside the Park and tourists are not allowed to stay inside. By Indian standards, Sawai Madhopur is a small rural town with a population of over100,000. The town serves as a market for the rural hinterland and Sawai Madhopur is known for its winter guavas, red chilis and mustard. Besides this, tourism and transportation industries are the mainstays of the local economy. Facilities in town The twin cities of Sawai Madhopur and Mann Town are small towns for Indian standards. They, however, offer almost all the basic facilities that an average tourist desires. Communications - Long distance telephone calls, Broad band Internet services, Speed Post and Mobile phone service (GSM) are locally available. Medical - All basic health care facilities are available. Most hospitals and nursing homes do not maintain a very high standard of hygiene. Drug stores are well stocked. Banking - Foreign currency can be changed and Travellers cheques can be encashed in

5 banks but the procedure may be time consuming. Money transfer by Western Union is possible. Most of the establishments accept credit cards (VISA and MasterCard). There are ATMs in the town. Boarding & Lodging - There are many lodges and resorts in Sawai Madhopur, with prices ranging from US $ 5 to US $ 500 or more. There are hardly any restaurants but all the lodges have in-house dining. History The oldest settlement in the area was around the Ranthambhore fort. The exact origin of the fort is still disputed but it generally accepted that there was a settlement at the site of the Fort, as far back as the 8th century A.D. It is widely believed that the construction of the Fort was started during the reign of the Chauhan rajput King Sapaldaksha in 944 AD. Another theory states that King Jayant, also a Chauhan rajput, built the Fort during 1110 AD. It is most likely that the construction of the fort commenced during the mid 10th Century A.D. and continued for a few centuries after that. Since, the Fort controlled the trade routes between North India and Central India, it was highly coveted by the rulers of North India. The Fort had its golden moments during the reign of Rao Hammir, the last ruler of the Chauhan dynasty ( AD). During 1300 AD, Ala-ud-din Khilji, the ruler of Delhi sent his army to capture the Fort. After three unsuccessful attempts, his army finally conquered the Fort in 1301 and ended the reign of the Chauhans. In the next three centuries the Fort changed hands a number of times, till Akbar, the great Mughal emperor, finally took over the Fort and dissolved the State of Ranthambhore in The fort stayed in the possession of the Mughal rulers till the mid 18th century. During the mid 18th century, the Maratha rulers of Western India were gradually increasing their influence in this region. In order to check the growing influence of the Marathas, Sawai Madho Singh, the ruler of Jaipur state, unsuccessfully, requested the Mughal emperor to hand over the fort to him. In 1763, Sawai Madho Singh fortified the nearby village of Sherpur and renamed it Sawai Madhopur. This town, which is now commonly known as the City, lies in a narrow valley between two parallel hills, at the South Western edge of the National Park. Two years later, the Mughals handed over the fort to the Jaipur state. During the end of the British Raj, Sawai Man Singh, the last ruler of Jaipur state, got a railway link constructed between Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur. A railway station was built about 4 kilometers away from the Sawai Madhopur town. Gradually, a small settlement came up around the railway station. This twin of Sawai Madhopur, known as Man Town, has now outgrown the older City. The Ranthambhore Bagh The Ranthambhore Bagh opened in 1998 as a modest 12-room resort for travelers looking out for an experience in the Ranthambhore National Park. The following year we added luxury tents, with all the facilities that a modern day traveler needs. We have now evolved to cater to all kind of specialist needs and have become the favorite hangout of filming crews, photographers, naturalists, birders and tourists who desire a richer wildlife experience. If you are the kind who wants to photograph the Indian courser or identify the different individual tigers of Ranthambhore then you have reached the right place. The outdoor area in The Ranthambhore Bagh consists of three beautifully landscaped gardens with many full-grown trees, which is not a common sight in most of the lodges around here. Our checklist of birds that can be seen inside the campus has gone up to 150 and we are still counting.

6 Accommodation The Ranthambhore Bagh is a 46 bed hang out of serious wildlifers. We have 10 twin bedrooms and one family room with 4 beds. The rooms are basic, spotlessly clean, airconditioned and are furnished using all local design elements. We also have 12 twin bed luxury tents, which are pitched on a beautifully landscaped garden. These are not your regular camping tents. They are the kind of tents that the Indian royalty used when they camped out except that we have incorporated all the modern amenities that one expects these days, such as electricity, running hot and cold water, heating and cooling. The Bagh Food At The Ranthambhore Bagh, we have a reputation for serving the best food, which is not only delicious but also very hygienically prepared. We have a regular dining area but also serve food in the garden, so that you can watch the Magpie robin in action while you have lunch. We have a fixed menu for all our meals, mainly Indian and Continental dishes. We can change our menu to suit your needs, provided we are given a few hours notice. Contact us The Ranthambhore Bagh, Ranthambhore Road, Sawai Madhopur , India. Tel: Fax: info@ranthambhorebagh.com